Brisket is enjoying a sustained moment in the sun in New York City. While it’s true that the glorious cut has been a life force for the Jewish community for decades, it’s only been in the past couple years that the Texas tradition of barbecuing the breast of the steer has come into the spotlight. Daniel Delaney of BrisketTown is playing a major role in the renaissance. His summer meat series; Brisketlab was responsible for the ritual slaughter of half the breeding stock of the Empire State.

At the same time, native Texan Ari White entered the fray with a series of sold-out barbecue pop up restaurants called Texas Smokehouse BBQ. The Bronx never had it so good.

As is customary, a proving grounds has now been established: Brisket King NYC is taking shape for February 20th 2013. Lots of cooking teams are entered into the event but from our seat in Austin Texas, the epicenter of the USA barbecue world, we reckon it comes down to Delaney vs White.

Balance of power.

Here’s the list of event participants:

2012 Brisket King of NYC John Brown Smokehouse

John Stage, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

Hugh Mangum, Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque

Daniel Delaney, BrisketTown

Sarabeth, Sarabeth’s

Simon Glenn, Tchoup Shop

Sam Barbieri, Waterfront Ale House and Fuhgeddaboutit BBQ

Andrew Burman, Taboonette

Melt Shop Grilled Cheese

East Village Meat Market

Chef Robbie Richter

Møsefund Farm’s Mangalitsa Pork Brisket will team with a guest chef TBA

Jimmy’s No. 43 will team with High Point Farms

Hudson Valley Harvest will team with an upstate farmer

Adirondack Grazers Grassfed Beef Co-Op will team with a guest chef TBA

Hakadosh BBQ with pit boss Ari White

With additional BBQ chefs and food purveyors TBA

We have a feeling some of these folks aren’t actually “competing” At least we hope the poor misguided souls at Melt Shop Grilled Cheese aren’t going to crash and burn at the meat party.

Buy a ticket http://brisketkingnyc.com/ for $45

and report back.

more on Ari White http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/2013/1/23/Texas-Pit-Boss-Ari-White-Sets-To-Cooking-Meat-In-NYC-Hakadosh-BBQ

and an interview with Delaney http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/daniel-delaney-of-brisketlab-sits-down-with-rl-reeves-jr/